May 25, 2012

We're still around, we've just been bad computer users over the past two weeks. Andrea and I have started about 5 drafts of really good blogs, but none of them have been completed yet. I don't necessarily know if we've been that busy, although I bought an iPad earlier this week and didn't get around to actually opening the package for 2 more days afterwards, so I guess we've been a little occupied.

Both of us have been ramping up our training and getting ready for the June onslaught of big races. As I mentioned previously, I'm headed out to California next weekend to race a 5K and Mile. Then we both travel on back to back weekends to the Portland Track Festival (Andrea is running the 5000m, and I'll be running the 10,000m and possibly doubling back in 5000m) and the USA 1/2 Marathon Championships in Duluth.

As followers of the blog know, Andrea has dealt with a string of hamstring and lower back issues over the past year. It hasn't been easy on her, but she is a tough cookie and hasn't given up on herself despite the setbacks. There was a point earlier this spring (around March) when she was seriously wondering whether she'd be able to run fast again this year. I tried to get her to believe that all her work throughout 2011 didn't happen in a bubble that popped when the calendar year changed, and that once she got on a roll, it would come back again and she could get to an even higher level than she was at last year. The reason I mention this little story is because yesterday afternoon Andrea (somewhat unexpectedly) ran one of her best workouts ever, and this morning one of our favorite blogs (Functional Path Training) posted the following:

Sometimes we forget that training accumulates training session to training session, week to week, month to month and year to year. So what are the implications of that? Simply that it is not necessary to think you must have to have a spectacular training session or a stupendous microcycle, rather it is important to be consistent in the application of stress and balance it with appropriate recovery to allow adaptation over time. It also means that when you start a new training year you don’t have to start over each year, you build upon the previous year or years and start each year on a higher plane. Adaptation takes times and it accumulates over time. As I have said many times in this blog one workout cannot make an athlete but one workout can break an athlete. In the long term focus on the process and the results will come.

That is great advice and something we should all take a few seconds to think about. Especially the part about no single workout making an athlete, but a stupid workout can definitely break you.

The photo was taken a few weeks ago. That is Andrea's "side" of the couch at the height of her back pain, when it takes a lot of pillows and blankets to find a perfectly comfortable position. I'm proud of her for fighting through the tough times, training smart, and putting herself in a position to run some excellent races in the upcoming weeks...

And one last little tidbit of randomness... my high school's 4x800m school record finally got taken down last night, 11 years after my team set it. I like seeing records go down - they are made to be broken, and they raise the bar and give you something big to shoot for. I'm happy for the Amsterdam High School guys!

The old guard... circa 2001

And the new record holders!

Andrea is off to Tybee Island, GA for Memorial Day (yes, I'm jealous!). I'll be hanging around in Utah - running a lower key 10K tomorrow, then playing in the mountains if the weather cooperates.

1 comment:

The accumulation part is a great reminder to think about and its very true. Andrea did have a great workout the other day. I was really impressed with that one especially since it seems like she has to hold back because of her hamstring. I think she has incredible potential if she is healty and consistent. Good luck in the upcoming races. We'll have to do some ice cream and cake after the Duluth races! Derek